Red Sun
by Burdeh
Summary: Generations after the age of Firestar and the battle with the Dark Forest, Thunderclan is thriving until a frightening conspiracy and a band of strangers with mysterious intentions begin to surface. Unsure whether the real enemy is outside or within, Sagepaw must navigate his way through treachery and lies if he and his friends are ever to protect all that they hold dear.
1. Prologue

Despite it being the middle of greenleaf, the night air was cold to the point of sharpness, and the sky bled dark gray clouds where the ice had cut across its surface. In the shadow of a thorn bush, a snow-furred feline sat watching the movement of the forest below. Like a fearsome bird of prey, he perched on his hilltop vantage point, unaffected by the frigid air. When a sheer wind swept through his fur and stole the leaves from several trees, the tom merely shook his pelt and braced against the cold.

"Well aren't you mysterious, sitting out here all by yourself. What are you even looking at? Don't pretend you can actually see what's going on down there." A voice scoffed in the background before its owner, a dark tabby cat with playful green eyes, emerged through the grass.

The white cat let out a soft sigh before glancing over his shoulder as the tabby joined him. In the darkness of the shrouded moon, they looked almost identical in shape and size. Even their voices contained the same low and eery tone.

"If there's nothing to see out here, then why did you come?" Castor, the white tom, murmured.

"Pure boredom, of course. And Dawn's snoring." The tabby chuckled back, before sucking in a sharp gasp as another breeze swept by and nearly knocked him off his paws. "Great Starclan, you've been out here in this wind?! Wasp was right. You really do have bees for brains."

Castor shook a loose blade of windblown grass from his head. In the nighttime calm, he could hear his brother's heartbeat like that of a mouse; fragile and frantic. The tom was nervous.

"Worried about tomorrow?" Castor quipped, smirking when his unexpected question made his striped littermate jump.

"Worried? Why would I be—" The tabby paused, frowned, then shook his head and laughed. "Sharp as always… Are you saying you aren't? I've lost track of how many seasons it's been since we last saw the clans."

"Four and a half, to be exact." The white tom answered.

The tabby stared at him before clicking his tongue in exasperation. "How very like you to know that."

"Don't be jealous, Flux. It's not attractive." Castor meowed, but he did not stop to listen to his brother's indignant reply, for he had picked up on the presence of another.

Wanting to wrap things up with his littermate quickly, he went on. "Anyways, there's no need to be nervous. If you're fearful that the clans won't be willing to forgive our past crimes, don't be. We only need the acceptance of one of the four, after all. Once they see that forgiveness is to their advantage, step one will be complete." He paused, thoughtful, before continuing. "Of course, I can only hope that this is why you're worrying, and not because you're still doubting the choices we made in the past…" Piercing blue eyes directed themselves at Flux, and the tabby shrank beneath his brother's gaze.

"No. No, of course not." Flux swallowed, before asserting more confidently, "I'm just excited to finally put an end to everything once and for all."

Castor smiled and nodded. "Good, that's the spirit."

Then the thorn bush rustled, and a golden she-cat emerged, fur lighting up under the moonlight as the clouds began to break. Her sudden appearance caused Flux, who had not detected her presence, to puff up in alarm, only for the tom to exhale in relief once he recognized the newcomer.

"You two aren't the only ones looking to right wrongs from the past." The she-cat remarked evenly.

"Dawn! Are you trying to scare the pelt off of me?! Where are your manners, sneaking up on an innocent body like that?" Flux scowled, embarrassed at being caught off-guard.

Dawn flicked one perfect golden ear before sniffing dismissively at the riled tom. "Your brother noticed my presence, so why didn't you? Honestly, are you two really related?"

"We had different fathers." Castor replied grimly, and Dawn cast him a glance of sympathy that Flux guffawed at.

"Alright, well, if you two have had your fun, I'll be going to sleep now. Seeing as Dawn won't be keeping me awake with that awful snoring that she calls 'breathing'." The dark tabby huffed, rising to his paws and making a big show of exiting the scene.

Castor chuckled, but once his brother had traveled out of earshot, his gaze turned serious and he leveled with the golden she-cat.

"It's not your turn for watch duty tonight, so what is it? Is it because Wasp is on-guard?"

His intuition set the she-cat on edge, and her tail-tip twitched with mild irritation.

"Why are you so nosy? Maybe I just couldn't sleep. I'm not the only one who can't. Tomorrow's a big day." She growled, although she knew she didn't have to tell Castor that, of all cats.

The white tom shrugged, unmoved by the other's temper.

"As I was saying before you changed the subject," he stared at her pointedly, "if you're having trouble sleeping because Wasp isn't with you, I already told him I'd take his shift once the clouds broke. If you don't want him noticing that you stayed up waiting for him, you ought to go to your nest now."

Castor's words had a visible effect on the she-cat, for she puffed up in a mixture of alarm and embarrassment, green eyes wide with denial.

"What are you talking about?! Who-who says I need Wasp to fall asleep? I'm a full grown cat, I can sleep on my own just fine! Who are you to go off saying this and that like you know me?! Huh?!" She spat, all the while transitioning between expressions of anger and joy, humiliation and gratitude.

After her exclamation, there was a pause in the conversation where Castor merely looked at the she-cat. Dawn bit her tongue, glowering at the tom, before finally giving the slightest, subtlest nod.

"But… if you insist, I mean. I might as well." Quickly, the golden tabby turned tail, skin burning red beneath her thick pelt. "And if you expect me to thank you, don't! And I don't like Wasp, either! So don't push it, you nosy heap of snow!"

She vanished into the shadows, and Castor flicked his whiskers in amusement. _I never said you liked him,_ he thought quietly.

Now alone once more, the tom took a second to enjoy the frozen silence of night even as his thoughts whispered about the long-awaited plan that would finally come into effect once the sun rose. Flux was not the only one who'd been excited. Castor's blood was racing beneath his serene complexion. Come morning, he and the others would set off down the hill and into the forest in pursuit of a goal that he had spent his entire life preparing for.

Closing his eyes, Castor pictured those first steps down through the trees and onto the path of fate. When he opened them again, he rose and started towards where Wasp was sitting guard. The black and white tom had been more than happy to accept Castor's unusually generous offer, oblivious to the tom's true intentions. The white feline was not so amicable as to commit random acts of kindness, nor was he known for his tendency to hand out favors. He merely wished to observe the rising dawn, the coming of day when the sun would ascend from the ruins of the earth up into the glorious sky, bleeding its light across the sanguine horizon.

He could practically taste it now. The sky would drip with iron roses, and what a red sky it would be.


	2. Allegiances

**THUNDERCLAN**

LEADER – Claystar, large gray tabby tom with blue eyes

DEPUTY – Ravenwing, black she-cat with white paws and green eyes

MEDICINE CAT – Jadewhisker, dark tabby tom with blue eyes

_APPRENTICE – Sagepaw, black tom with blue eyes_

WARRIORS

Hazefur, smoky gray she-cat with green eyes

Berrythorn, brown tabby tom with green eyes

Sunpelt, ginger tom with green eyes

Leaftail, tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes

Thornfoot, golden tabby tom with green eyes

Ashwind, pale gray tabby she-cat with white ears and blue eyes

_APPRENTICE – Nightpaw, black tom with white tail-tip and blue eyes_

Rainclaw, silver tabby tom with amber eyes

Songfrost, silver and white she-cat with green eyes

_APPRENTICE – Dewpaw, pretty white she-cat with blue eyes_

QUEENS

Mooncloud, black and white she-cat with blue eyes

(Darkkit, black tom with blue eyes and white tail-tip / Icekit, silver and white tom with darker flecks and blue eyes)

Silverwing, pretty gray she-cat with green eyes

ELDERS

Thistleclaw, brown and white tom with one amber eye

Tansyfoot, sandy tabby she-cat with blind blue eyes

Hollowpelt, mottled gray tom with black ears and blue eyes

Gorsefur, dark brown tom with green eyes and a twisted paw

**SHADOWCLAN**

LEADER – Whitestar, small white tom with hazel eyes

_APPRENTICE – Basilpaw, gray tabby tom with green eyes_

DEPUTY – Maplewind, light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

MEDICINE CAT – Brushtail, black and white tom with blue eyes

WARRIORS

Charcoalfoot, ragged black tom with blue eyes

_APPRENTICE – Falconpaw, silver and white tom with green eyes_

Boneclaw, russet tabby tom with green eyes

Gullfur, thin silver she-cat with amber eyes

**WINDCLAN**

LEADER – Heatherstar, amber and white she-cat with green eyes

DEPUTY – Dancingshadow, golden tabby she-cat with blue eyes

_APPRENTICE – Lionpaw, silver tabby tom with blue eyes_

MEDICINE CAT – Redfeather, russet and white tabby tom with blue eyes

WARRIORS

Auburnfur, spotted golden tom with blue eyes

_APPRENTICE – Badgerpaw, black and white tom with gray-blue eyes_

**RIVERCLAN**

LEADER – Reedstar, pale brown tabby tom with green eyes

_APPRENTICE – Coldpaw, gray tabby tom with amber eyes_

DEPUTY – Swallowtail, black and white tom with amber eyes

_APPRENTICE – Wildpaw, ginger tabby tom with green eyes_

MEDICINE CAT – Blackthorn, white tom with black splotches and green eyes

**ROGUES/LONERS/KITTYPETS**

Flare, large ginger tom with blue eyes

Castor, white tom with gray paws and icy blue eyes

Dawn, small golden tabby she-cat with green eyes

Sole, large white tom with dark eyes

Nillain, sandy tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Frosty, silky gray tom with blue eyes

Flux, dark brown tabby tom with pale green eyes

Wasp, black and white tom with blue eyes

Racer, lean russet tom with striking blue eyes

Larch, ginger and white tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Clover, gray tabby she-cat with amber eyes


	3. Chapter One

"Are we done yet? This is so boring! I thought we were going to do some training, not pulling weeds out of the ground!"

The complaints belonged to a young black tom, Nightpaw, whose tail was currently lashing in frustration.

Not far off, another black cat, this one nearly identical but for his slightly smaller stature, had just finished making a neat pile of leaves and stalks. Although his whiskers twitched with irritation at the complaining cat's words, his mouth was full with herbs, and so it was instead a pale tabby she-cat that spoke.

"Keep that attitude up, and I'll have you cleaning the elders' den, Nightpaw. Show some respect. Sagepaw's work is very important to the clan, and part of training to be a warrior means learning to help your clanmates when it is required of you." The she-cat scolded, adding several leaves to the smaller tom's pile. "There, is this enough, Sagepaw?" She asked.

The medicine cat apprentice nodded, blue eyes switching from the tabby's face to the herbs they had gathered. "Yes, this is fine. Thank you, Ashwind. Jadewhisker should be happy with this." He smiled at the tabby, and she dipped her head in reply.

"Alright, let's head back then. Nightpaw, come over here and help us carry these." Ashwind meowed, flicking her white ears in the direction of the tom who had been whining before.

With a huff and an expression that spoke of unhappy thoughts, the dark-furred feline trudged over and crouched down, picking up a mouthful of the sour-smelling plants. His lips curled, and he grimaced.

"Careful; don't be so rough, Nightpaw. You're going to break them and waste all the juice." Sagepaw warned, looking disapprovingly at his littermate before bending down himself to demonstrate. "Here, like this." The small apprentice gently gathered a bundle of the herbs between his jaws, paying attention not to bite down too hard and risk puncturing the delicate, paper-thin slips.

Although Nightpaw looked reluctant to follow Sagepaw's direction, he gave in under Ashwind's commanding stare and proceeded to handle the leaves more carefully. Once each of the three cats had sufficiently stuffed their mouths with foliage, they set off in the direction of Thunderclan's camp, Ashwind taking the lead.

As the warrior pushed through the undergrowth ahead, Nightpaw allowed his own steps to slow until he was walking alongside his brother, blue eyes glinting conspiratorially.

Through the mouthful of herbs, he managed to say, "How bossy has Ashwind gotten lately? If Ravenwing doesn't watch her back, next thing you know, we'll have a new deputy. Then even Claystar will be stuck doing apprentice duties."

The tom chuckled, but Sagepaw did not look quite so amused. He was watching the way Nightpaw's teeth ground into the leaves with each word, and the apprentice cringed.

"You know, Nightpaw…" Sagepaw started, speaking slowly and softly so as not to repeat his brother's mistakes. "Maybe you should listen to Ashwind more. She may be young, but she's one of Thunderclan's best warriors. I heard Berrythorn and Sunpelt talking, and apparently she once beat two Shadowclan cats in a border fight."

Nightpaw's eyes widened at this, but he quickly replaced his surprise with doubt.

"Yeah right, when hedgehogs fly! Ashwind hasn't taught me any battle moves yet, and I bet it's because she doesn't even know how to fight." He scoffed, only to stumble and backup when his excessive talking caused several leaves to fall from his mouth.

Sagepaw sighed and paused to wait for his littermate, glancing after Ashwind's disappearing form as the distance between the warrior and apprentices grew.

He turned to watch his littermate, meowing with a hint of annoyance, "Hurry up, Nightpaw. We're falling behind and it wasn't even a moon ago that Thornfoot's patrol found those fox tracks around here. We need to catch up with Ashwind."

At the mention of fox tracks, Nightpaw croaked and suddenly gained the speed of a Windclan cat, charging ahead of Sagepaw and flattening the undergrowth as he clumsily hurried after Ashwind.

_He's that afraid of foxes?_ Sagepaw wondered, surprised at his littermate's reaction. He hadn't expected his warning to have such an effect, and made a note to self to mention the red-furred canines whenever Nightpaw was being slow in the future.

As he picked up his own pace, finding it easier to navigate now that Nightpaw had left a large break in the trail, Sagepaw thought about what Nightpaw had said about Ashwind. It was true that the four clans were in the middle of a peace time. According to Thistleclaw, who was the oldest cat in the clan, the last notable battle between any of the lake territories had been during the elder's apprentice days, when an uprising in Shadowclan had created a dispute with Riverclan and Windclan. Because Thunderclan had remained outside the conflict, Thistleclaw hadn't been privy to many of the details, but apparently the battling had been so fierce that Starclan had blocked out the moon and sun and cursed the clans with a heavy storm that lasted an entire moon. By the end, the clans were forced to stop fighting because of the floods, which had sufficiently made traveling across borders impossible. During this stalemate, Shadowclan excommunicated the traitors who were first responsible for the uprising, and the clans were finally able to establish a truce. Still, even if Thunderclan hadn't seen a real fight in seasons, Sagepaw found it odd that Nightpaw had not received any formal battle training. Now that he thought about it, Sagepaw had yet to be taught self-defense by Jadewhisker, as well. Was it true that Ashwind did not actually know how to fight, and Sunfoot and Berrythorn had merely been spreading gossip? Or was the clan so content with its current state of affairs that Claystar did not feel it was necessary to train the apprentices in battle so early on? The latter made more sense to Sagepaw, but it seemed risky to assume times would remain peaceful forever. He didn't want to be a pessimist, but he feared that perhaps this was just the calm before the storm.

Before he knew it, the tom's wandering thoughts had brought him to the entrance of the thorn tunnel. There, Leaftail, a stony-faced tortoiseshell, was sitting guard. She seemed distracted, her tail twitching as if something had upset her, and Sagepaw silently reminded himself to go ask her if she was alright later. First, he needed to put these herbs away, or Jadewhisker would accuse him of slacking.

Padding into the camp, Sagepaw kept his eyes peeled for any sign of his mentor's distinct brown pelt, but the medicine cat was nowhere to be seen. Figuring he must be in the den, Sagepaw slipped past Thornfoot and Berrythorn who were sitting beside the entrance. As he entered the hollowed out rock-face, he welcomed the cold air and the way the walls muffled the warriors' noisy gossiping.

Although there was no sign of Jadewhisker, Sagepaw could see the herbs that Ashwind and Nightpaw had been carrying. They lay in the center of the den in what looked like a pile. At least, what had once been a pile. Sagepaw assumed Nightpaw had foiled Ashwind's attempts at maintaining some sort of order. He wondered if it was out of spite, or if Nightpaw was simply that clumsy. Likely the latter, Sagepaw figured. His littermate had always been like that. Sagepaw recalled when Nightpaw was once scolded by their father, Claystar, for getting stuck in the thorn tunnel while trying to sneak out of camp as a kit. Sagepaw could still remember the leader's usually stern face twisted in a mixture of irritation and (with great effort) restrained amusement.

Sagepaw snorted at the memory and began returning the leaves to their original state, adding his own mouthful as he did so. He was almost finished cleaning up Nightpaw's mess when he heard paw-steps approaching from outside and turned expectantly, eager to show Jadewhisker how much he had collected. However, instead of his mentor, it was the deputy, Ravenwing, that entered. Her jet black fur made it look like she was disappearing into the shadows of the den, and if not for her shockingly white paws and green eyes, she might've been completely swallowed in the darkness.

"Ravenwing, what brings you here?" Sagepaw asked in surprise, wondering if the she-cat had somehow injured herself. He hoped she wasn't coming to ask where Nightpaw was. It was about time the tom stopped accidentally leaving burrs in the elders' bedding.

"Good morning to you too, Sagepaw." Ravenwing meowed, taking a calculated look around the den before finally resting her cool green gaze on the apprentice. "Jadewhisker asked me to deliver a message to you when you got back to camp. Are you free right now? Good." She went on without waiting for an answer.

Sagepaw let out a barely concealed sigh and set the rest of the herbs down, giving the she-cat his full attention. It was rare that Jadewhisker chose not to tell Sagepaw something in person, but it was even rarer that Ravenwing agreed to do somebody else's errands. The apprentice assumed it must be something important.

"Last night, Jadewhisker received a dream that he believes was from Starclan. It was vague as always, though, so he's gone with Claystar to the Moonpool for guidance. He wanted to ask you to take care of the camp while he's gone, and to make sure Silverwing gets her daily medicine, especially with the kits coming any day now." The she-cat reported, speaking softly so that no cat could overhear. "Also, keep this information to yourself. Jadewhisker wanted to inform you because you're his apprentice, but this makes you the only cat besides Claystar, Jadewhisker and myself who knows, so consider this your first real responsibility as a medicine cat in-training."

This last bit of knowledge had Sagepaw straightening up and lifting his chin slightly. He could practically feel the weight of secrecy pressing on his spine, and he was determined to prove that he could handle it. After all, he would be the medicine cat himself one day. If he couldn't deal with his mentor being away for a few hours, then there was no way he was suited for the job.

"I understand, Ravenwing. Thank you." He nodded, and the she-cat smiled slightly, as if impressed by the apprentice's professionalism.

As she turned to leave though, Sagepaw could not help but ask. "Excuse me, but did Jadewhisker by chance mention what the dream was of?"

Ravenwing paused and turned, looking rather irritated by the question, and Sagepaw figured it was because she was embarrassed at not knowing herself. The tom wondered what was so important that not even the deputy could know.

"No, he didn't. However, this is the first sign from our ancestors in a long while, so Claystar is taking it very seriously." With that said, the she-cat exited the den, fur lighting up like burning tar as she disappeared into the traces of sunlight.

Sagepaw frowned, trying to imagine what kind of a dream Jadewhisker had received, and feeling a slight thrill of excitement at the idea of receiving his own dream from Starclan some day. Would it be an omen? Or a prophecy? Maybe both?

As he was picturing everything that the future held in store for him, Sagepaw picked up on the unmistakable scent of his brother, and sure enough, not a second later the noisy tom was pushing his way into the den, laughing loudly to himself. Sagepaw assumed he had just been listening to someone tell a joke, but then again, it would not be unheard of for Nightpaw to simply be expressing his amusement at some odd thought his brain had conjured.

The corner of Sagepaw's mouth tugged up into a smile. His brother was certainly a special young cat.

"Sagepaw! What are you up to?" Nightpaw meowed cheerfully once he had calmed down enough to form words. "I just saw Ravenwing leaving. Was she ordering you around? She sure likes sticking her nose into things."

"Hey Nightpaw," Sagepaw meowed, returning back to sorting herbs. He figured that was all he could do while Jadewhisker was out. "Ravenwing was just reminding me to give Silverwing some supplements for her kits." He wondered why no one else was allowed to know about Jadewhisker's dream, and curiosity began to stir in his chest.

"Ravenwing said that?" Nightpaw paused, furrowing his brow. "Since when is she a medicine cat? Shouldn't Jadewhisker be telling you what to do? What a bossy she-cat!" The tom huffed, shaking his head and taking a seat beside his brother.

When he tried to help move several flowers into another pile, Sagepaw quickly swatted the tom's paw away.

"Those don't go there." He sniped, rather wishing his littermate would just go away for a bit so he could concentrate. "And Jadewhisker is..." Quickly, he thought up a suitable lie. "Away on a patrol with Claystar. Ravenwing said they're collecting herbs."

Nightpaw looked momentarily offended at Sagepaw's rejection of his help, but he recovered quickly, instead sitting back and merely observing as his brother diligently sorted this herb from that. They all looked and smelled the same to Nightpaw, and he felt his chest swell with pride. He'd always known Sagepaw was smart, but to know each and every one of these plants by name and function was just amazing.

"More herbs? Even though we just got some?" He puzzled, holding his breath as Sagepaw paused in his sorting. Nightpaw had accidentally become entranced by the other tom's methodical arranging.

"Not all herbs are the same, Nightpaw." Sagepaw started. "And different herbs grow in different places. Just like prey. You won't find squirrels out in a treeless clearing, and you won't find rabbits deep in the woods. It's the same with plants. Some grow near water, and others are only found in twoleg gardens." Sagepaw explained, remaining patient only because the topic of healing was one he was fascinated by, and could therefore never run out of time discussing.

"Oh, that makes sense." Nightpaw nodded, and Sagepaw smiled, impressed that Nightpaw had actually been listening for a change.

He briefly considered teaching Nightpaw more, but the toms had a visitor, and Sagepaw wondered why so many cats were suddenly so interested in the medicine cat's den. They'd never been interested before, when they had to come in for a dose of borage leaves or to get a thorn removed.

The visitor this time was Dewpaw, Thunderclan's only other apprentice and a spirited one at that. She had stuck her snowy head inside the den and was staring at the brothers with a judgmental look in her eyes.

"What are you two furballs doing, planning on slipping Ravenwing some yarrow? Since when do you know anything about herbs, Nightpaw?" The she-cat taunted, grinning as Nightpaw bristled angrily in response.

"Dewpaw, go away if you're just going to be a nosy fox! Mind your own business, Sagepaw and I are having a very intelligent conversation about finding different kinds of plants, not that you'd know anything about plants with that tiny little brain of yours." The black tom scowled, and Sagepaw rolled his eyes and let out a sigh, already knowing what was coming next.

"Tiny little brain?" Dewpaw sneered. "If you're so high and mighty, how about you name some of those 'different kinds of plants' there? I bet Sagepaw's been talking this whole time and you've just been nodding along pretending to understand. I feel bad for Ashwind. She's stuck with a fuzz-head like you for an apprentice."

Nightpaw looked about to tackle the she-cat, when another voice, this one older and soft as pidgeon down, chimed in.

"Now, now, that's enough you two. We didn't come here to argue, Dewpaw." It belonged to Songfrost, who was aptly named for her lovely harmonics. "Good morning Nightpaw, Sagepaw." She smiled, and Sagepaw grinned at the way Nightpaw's heart practically flip-flopped in his chest.

"Good morning, Songfrost!" The apprentice chirped, all smiles and googly eyes in the pretty she-cat's presence.

"Good morning." Sagepaw replied more calmly, appreciating the warrior's intervention but rather hoping she and Dewpaw wouldn't be staying long. At this rate, he'd never get anything done, and Jadewhisker would return to the camp thinking Sagepaw was completely inept.

"We're going battle training," Dewpaw piped up, settling down a bit now that her mentor was present. "Do you want to come, Nightpaw?"

At the words 'battle training', the black tom's ears perked up and he quickly looked at Songfrost, whose eyes were warm and welcoming.

"Really? Can I?" He asked, practically jumping out of his pelt at the opportunity.

Songfrost laughed at the apprentice's eagerness, and Dewpaw made a face.

"I don't know, do you have four legs and a brain? Oh yeah, you don't have the last one so I guess not, too bad!" Dewpaw commented snidely, but she hushed when Songfrost gave her a look.

"What Dewpaw means to say is of course you can, Nightpaw. Ashwind told me it would be alright, and that you'd enjoy the experience. Dewpaw's already had several lessons, so she can show you what she's learned." Songfrost meowed, ignoring the white apprentice's smug grin. "Besides, I'm sure the last thing Sagepaw needs is the whole clan jabbering away in his den while he's trying to work."

Sagepaw cast a grateful look her way, waving his tail as Nightpaw joined the duo and headed off, the enthusiastic apprentice practically bouncing on his toes. Once they had left, Sagepaw let out a heavy sigh of relief. Finally, he could get back to organizing without (hopefully) any further interruptions.

Glancing around at the cracks and crannies in the den walls, Sagepaw frowned. Unless he was mistaken, the marigold should be right where he'd last stored it in that small indent just above the ground. It was possible that Jadewhisker had moved it, but the tom often left the sorting chores to his apprentice. Standing up and sniffing around for the brightly colored flowers, Sagepaw let out a little 'aha!' as he found them smudged into the ground by Jadewhisker's nest. The medicine cat must have knocked them over in his sleep, for they were completely unusable now.

_I wish he'd told me sooner so I could grab some more while I was out, _he thought, leaning down to pick up the tattered petals. As he did so, a strong stench attacked his nostrils, and he reared back, fur standing on end in alarm. His eyes scanned the earthen floor rapidly, trying to detect the source, and when he did, his stomach curled.

He hadn't noticed before over the strong aroma of herbs that was clouding the air, but now that he could see it, there was no denying it. Jadewhisker's mossy nest was littered with blood.


	4. Chapter Two

Immediately, Sagepaw's fur stood on end and the tom jumped backwards, almost running into the den wall as he did so.

The Thunderclanner had seen blood before. It was unavoidable as a medicine cat apprentice, after all. But its sudden presence put him on edge, especially when he tried to imagine where (or rather whom) it had come from.

_Ravenwing didn't say anything about Jadewhisker being injured_, he thought, raking his brain for an explanation.

Cautiously, the young feline crept forward, examining the nest more closely. There were no thorns or burrs in the bedding, which ruled out the possibility of the medicine cat accidentally cutting himself in his sleep.

_This is also too much blood to be from a mere thorn prick_. Sagepaw swallowed, slowly backing out of the den and into the camp clearing.

He tried to think if there had been any border fights or run-ins with a badger or fox recently, but the tom knew it would have been mentioned, especially to him. Jadewhisker had also made plenty of nests just for their patients, so even if an injured cat had entered the den, why would Jadewhisker have put them in his bed?

It didn't make sense, and so Sagepaw knew the next best option was to ask Ravenwing. Perhaps there was more that she wasn't telling him. The idea that he was being sheltered because he was still an apprentice irritated the tom, especially when said-classified information involved his mentor. However, he would question Ravenwing herself before jumping to any conclusions.

Scanning the hollow, Sagepaw looked for the she-cat's sleek black pelt, expecting to find her sending out another hunting patrol. He could see Berrythorn and Leaftail sharing a mouse by the warriors' den, and off to the side, Ashwind was watching them, an odd look on her face that the apprentice could not discern.

He was about to go over to the warriors and ask where Ravenwing had gone, when a sudden yowl tore through the clearing.

"Windclan! I can smell Windclan cats, it's an attack! Defend the camp!"

It was Thornfoot, his green eyes wild with excitement and aggression as he leaped up from where he'd been sitting by the thorn entrance, tabby fur bristling and claws already unsheathing themselves. His warning cry sent the rest of the camp scurrying in alarm, and Sagepaw felt his own heart skip a beat.

_An ambush?! But we have no quarrel with Windclan, so why are they attacking us?!_ His thoughts flew to the nursery and the elders' den. Someone would have to protect them, and although Sagepaw was just an apprentice and had never been taught to fight, he knew that someone had to stand between their enemies and Thunderclan's future generation.

_I have to let Jadewhisker know! _He realized, only to halt when he remembered that his mentor was not here. Shaking his head, Sagepaw raced towards the nursery, but he was cut off by a silver tom, Rainclaw, who had beat him to it.

It dawned on Sagepaw that the warrior must want to protect his mate, Silverwing, and so he quickly changed direction towards the elders' den. As he ran over, Ravenwing whisked past him, her tail fluffed up.

"Sagepaw! Guard the elders!" She snapped, even though the apprentice was already one step ahead of her.

The deputy scrambled to join her clan-mates at the camp entrance, barging past so that she held the front of the line. Although Sagepaw didn't have the time to ask how they were going to protect the clan with so few warriors present, the question dangled on the tip of his tongue, tasting of fear and suspense.

Sagepaw was so caught up in worrying over what was going on that he almost walked right into a one-eyed tom who'd just started to emerge from the elders' den.

"Watch it, kit!" The feline snarled, fur on end. However, he didn't seem interested in Sagepaw, and was instead trying to scoot past the apprentice to see what all the commotion was in the camp.

"Sorry, Thistleclaw." Sagepaw apologized, trying to direct the elder back into the den. "Thornfoot said he scented Windclan cats—"

"Windclan?" Thistleclaw's head snapped up, his one amber eye swiveling left and right in his skull. "Those fox-hearted cowards, I always knew they were trouble! Any cat who learns how to run before he learns how to fight doesn't have the right to call himself a warrior." He hissed, stubbornly holding his ground even as Sagepaw tried in vain to move him.

The elder would not budge, and so Sagepaw looked into the den for assistance, his eyes falling on Gorsefur, a young warrior who had been retired early due to an accident.

"Gorsefur, please help me move Thistleclaw back inside. I know you want to fight too, Thistleclaw, but it's dangerous and we don't know how many cats are coming—"

"Hmph, dangerous? What would a mere tuft of bunny fur like you know about danger? The day I let a medicine cat tell me I can't fight will be the day hedgehogs fly." Thisteclaw snapped, and Sagepaw might've hissed at the grumpy old fleabag if not for the dire urgency of the situation.

"Now, now, Thistleclaw, Sagepaw is just trying to think about the safety of every cat. If you run off to fight Windclan, who will stay in the elders' den to protect the rest of us?"

It was Gorsefur who spoke, having risen unsteadily after hearing Sagepaw's pleas and picking up on the ruckus. His dark brown fur blended into the shadows of the den, and kind green eyes looked down at Sagepaw reassuringly.

"Tansyfoot no longer has her sight, and I've only three paws. You don't expect Hollowpelt and Sagepaw to defend us all on their own, do you?" The tom reasoned, and Sagepaw mentally thanked the young cat for being so tactful.

It was a pity that Gorsefur was in the elders' den, and not the warriors'. The tom had a good heart and a good head, and apparently he, alongside Ashwind, was rumored to have been one of Thunderclan's strongest fighters. By the time Sagepaw was born, Gorsefur was already in the elders' den, so all he knew of the tom's achievements were the stories told and the respect with which their clan mates treated the now-retired feline.

Sagepaw had always wondered just what had happened to Gorsefur's other paw, but the clan did not speak of it, and the apprentice was too polite to ask.

Thistleclaw paused at Gorsefur's words, seeming to consider them even as he wrinkled his nose in mild frustration.

"Well, I suppose that's true. Someone has to make sure you two are safe. Very well, but the medicine cat will listen to me. I'm not going to have him getting in my way if some Windclan flea-ball tries to claw his way in here." The ragged feline growled, wobbling past Sagepaw and Gorsefur and back into the den.

"There, that wasn't so hard, now was it?" Gorsefur chuckled, before looking over at Sagepaw.

"Thank you, Gorsefur." The apprentice dipped his head, genuinely grateful. "You should go inside too, though. Windclan could be coming at any minute, and while I don't really think they'd target the queens and elders, you're young Gorsefur, and they might mistake you for a warrior."

A part of the tom felt bad about the way he'd worded it, but it was true. Gorsefur was no longer a warrior. It would be risky for him to stay out in the clearing where some Windclanner might challenge him to a fight.

Gorsefur smiled, but Sagepaw thought he detected a hint of sadness in the gesture.

"Of course, who would I be to ignore a medicine cat's advice?" With that, he limped inside and Sagepaw followed. Whereas the apprentice stopped just within reach of the den entrance, Gorsefur and Thistleclaw had moved to the back, accompanying a mottled gray tom and a bleary-eyed she-cat.

"Sagepaw? What are you doing here, come for another story?" The she-cat purred, lifting her head as she scented the apprentice and smiled.

"Of course he hasn't, he's too old for that, Tansyfoot." The gray tom chuckled, voice hoarse with age. When he spoke, it was as if his entire body was shaking. "Sagepaw is the medicine cat apprentice now, don't you remember?"

"Oh yes! Why, it feels like just yesterday that you and Nightkit were flinging moss all over the nursery. You nearly drove Mooncloud mad with all that ruckus. The poor thing couldn't get a wink of sleep." The old queen's words sang of nostalgia, and she looked about to slip into another fond memory when Thistleclaw swept his tail over the tips of her ears.

"You really have been around for too long. Your brain has turned to dandelions, Tansyfoot." The grouchy tom snarked, ignoring Gorsefur's sigh and Hollowpelt's sniff.

"You shouldn't be saying such things, Thistleclaw." Hollowpelt chided softly, his mottled gray shape shifting in the bedding. "After all, you've been around longer than any of us. I'm surprised you still remember our names."

Sagepaw tried to block out the sounds of the elders' bantering, hoping to be the first to know when Windclan finally reached the camp. However, so far there were no sounds of fighting, and there were no battle cries ringing across the hollow. He wondered if perhaps Thornfoot had been mistaken, and if Windclan was not in fact invading. Maybe the headstrong tom had just gotten a piece of rabbit fur in his nose and mistook it for the moor-dwelling clan.

He relaxed slightly, only to stiffen and glance over his shoulder when the elders' conversation took a serious turn.

"But what in Starclan's name could Windclan want from us? Claystar hasn't gone and stepped on Heatherstar's tail, has he?" Tansyfoot questioned, big blind eyes wide.

"Who knows? Do those greedy vermin really need a reason? They're too weak to catch their own prey so they have to steal ours." Thistleclaw hissed, raking his jagged claws through the den floor. "Well I'll show them what Thunderclan does to thieves. They're nothing to be afraid of. Those cowards are more harmless than the butterflies in their brains."

Sagepaw could not help but include himself in the discussion, expression earnest as he jumped in. "But even so, half of our warriors are gone right now, not to mention Claystar and Jadewhisker. We can't fight off an invasion without our full strength." He meowed, not wanting the worry to show in his voice, but his attempts to restrain it were futile.

The elders looked over at the black apprentice in surprise, and Hollowpelt's face softened.

"Youngster, perhaps it's true that we are foolish to assume so easily that Windclan are nothing to fear. But when you have lived as long as we have, and have fought and survived as many battles as us, you will learn that a point in time comes when you begin to understand that even after the darkest night, the sun will soon rise again. Life is best not taken too seriously." The old gray tom's words weighed on Sagepaw, and he wondered if this was what it was like to receive a dream from Starclan, all riddles and perfectly sensible nonsense.

"You have nothing to fear. I don't believe Windclan have come to fight, or else a warrior with as little tact as Thornfoot would not have been able to notice their presence so easily." Hollowpelt went on, chuckling, and Sagepaw allowed the old tom's reassurances to settle the fur on his shoulders.

Hollowpelt had been alive for many seasons. He knew more about these kinds of situations than Sagepaw did, and so he decided to trust the elder. After all, Hollowpelt was Claystar's father. For him to have raised the noblest leader Thunderclan had ever known, he must know what he was talking about.

Sagepaw wanted to let Hollowpelt know that he too, thought everything would be just fine, but before he could respond, Gorsefur had raised his head, the tom's ears going alert.

"Someone's coming," he said, and Sagepaw turned quickly, noticing immediately that whoever it was did not smell of Windclan.

A pale gray head poked its way into the den entrance, and Ashwind's blue eyes settled on Sagepaw.

"False alarm." She meowed, plain and simple, and Sagepaw almost let out a yowl of frustration. All that suspense and anxiety had been for nothing, and he felt the urge to yank Thornfoot's whiskers out one by one.

"Well," Ashwind continued, "Windclan are here, that part is true. But they didn't come to fight. They're talking to Ravenwing now. Apparently they have an important message to deliver."

"A message?" Sagepaw repeated, wondering what on earth was so important that Heatherstar needed to send her warriors all the way into the forest and scare Thunderclan half to death.

He grumbled and followed the she-cat out of the den, leaving Hollowpelt, Thistleclaw, Tansyfoot and Gorsefur to gossip over what Windclan had come to say.

Already, the queens and kits were reemerging from their dens, and Sagepaw could see where Ravenwing was conversing in angry, hushed words with a small group of cats that Sagepaw assumed must be from Windclan. Although the apprentice had been to Gatherings in the past, he was always too intent on hearing what the leaders and medicine cats had to say to bother meeting many other cats. Usually, he just sat off to the side and let Nightpaw do all the socializing. Even so, out of the three Windclanners, he was able to recognize Heatherstar's deputy, Dancingshadow, and another cat, a tom apprentice that he thought he'd been introduced to at the last Gathering.

Ravenwing looked angry as she spoke to the patrol. Sagepaw thought this odd, as the foreign cats appeared polite and not at all hostile, although an air of distress hung about them. It seemed that they didn't mean any harm, so what was Ravenwing getting so upset over? One of the Windclanners, a small black and white tom who Sagepaw did not know, was kneading the ground anxiously while he watched Ravenwing and Dancingshadow share words. Ravenwing looked anything but happy, and if not for Leaftail, Berrythorn, and Thornfoot forming a barrier around the camp entrance, Sagepaw would have snuck through to try and hear what was being said.

Instead, he tried to look busy by scooting up behind Berrythorn. The warrior had a knack for not picking up on things very quickly, and so Sagepaw was hoping the tom wouldn't notice him right away.

To his luck, the tabby appeared completely engrossed in what was going on between the two deputies, and so Sagepaw craned his ears forward, managing to pick up a couple words here and there.

What he heard, however, made his blood run cold.

"_What?!_" Ravenwing hissed, forgetting to keep her voice down. "_Claystar is dead?!_"


	5. Chapter Three

"Dead?! What do you mean he's dead?! Liars! What have you done with Claystar? You cowardly fleas! I'll rip the pelts off your backs with my claws!" Thornfoot spat, bristling and about to lunge.

He would have, too, if not for Leaftail quickly pressing her tail across his chest. The tortoiseshell gave her brother a warning look before returning her attention to Ravenwing and the Windclanners.

"What is the meaning of this? What are you talking about?" Leaftail cut in, her own spine prickling with mistrust and fear.

One of the Windclan cats, the golden tabby, glanced uneasily at the Thunderclanners, before murmuring, "Perhaps I should have spoken to you in private, Ravenwing. Forgive me."

The black she-cat lashed her tail in indecision, quickly snapping at the other Thunderclan warriors to, "Wait here with Dancingshadow's patrol while I get to the bottom of this."

Ravenwing looked at the golden tabby, who nodded in response and joined her in walking a little way's off. Once out of earshot, Ravenwing turned on the Windclanner sharply, eyes fierce with anger and alarm.

"Now what is this about? Why are you here, Dancingshadow? My clan thought this was an invasion!" She hissed.

Dancingshadow dipped her striped head apologetically, but did not let the other's hostility deter her. "It is as I said before, Ravenwing. My patrol was out marking the border when Badgerpaw smelled your clanmates. We thought we were being invaded, but then we scented blood and realized one of your cats must have been chased across the border by a fox or a dog."

The Windclan deputy paused in her story as her expression darkened.

"When we got there, we found neither… yet Claystar was dead by the time we reached him. We waited for him to revive, but none of us knew that it was his last life… I am sorry, but we didn't get to him soon enough." She bowed her head once more, and Ravenwing's fur stood on end.

The Thunderclan deputy's mind raced with all that she had just heard. She didn't know whether or not to believe Windclan. It could be a trap, or perhaps Dancingshadow's herself had led the patrol responsible for Claystar's death. Maybe Claystar wasn't even dead. But they had not lied about Claystar being on their territory, and no one had known that the tom was headed for the Moonpool other than Ravenwing, Sagepaw, and—

"Jadewhisker!" She snapped, eyes blazing intently. "Our medicine cat, where is he?"

Dancingshadow's frown deepened and her gaze drifted to the side. "We picked up his scent, but I'm sorry. He was nowhere to be found. There was rogue stench present, so he may have fled once Claystar fell. We wanted to let you know about the situation before sending out any search patrols." The Windclan deputy paused to see how Ravenwing would react.

"How do I know you and your clanmates weren't the ones who took Claystar's life, and that you don't have our medicine cat held prisoner in your camp? How do I know that any of what you say is the truth? I could rip your tongue out right now for the lies you breathe." Ravenwing growled, her claws sliding free and her words fierce. "Thornfoot!" She yowled. "Take Berrythorn and Ashwind to Windclan territory to see if what Dancingshadow says is the truth."

Thornfoot started eagerly, claws scraping ruts into the earth as he rose.

Wanting to show her cooperation, Dancingshadow added, "Badgerpaw, go along with them to show where Claystar's body is." She glanced sadly at Ravenwing, eyes blue with sympathy. "I left one of my warriors— Auburnfur— with Claystar. He will help you return the body to your camp, if you so wish."

Ravenwing was torn by the unmistakable honesty in Dancingshadow's voice. As much as she wished to, she could not believe that the Windclan deputy was lying.

"I would like for you to remain here until my warriors can confirm what you have said." Ravenwing spoke, and Dancingshadow agreed understandingly.

The two she-cats rejoined the group in front of the camp entrance. Thornfoot and Ashwind had already left with the Windclan apprentice, and only Leaftail and the other Windclan tom remained. The tom was young and his eyes were fearful. He was not meeting Leaftail's gaze, and the tortoiseshell warrior noticed.

"We Thunderclan cats are not so dangerous," she murmured to him, and the young cat started and looked up at her. "Not so long as you do not hurt our clanmates." What had started off playful darkened into a low warning tone, and the Windclanner quickly looked away once more, trembling severely at Leaftail's words.

Dancingshadow approached the tom and stood over him protectively, giving Leaftail a stern look. "While I understand your disbelief and suspicion, I ask that you please do not take it out on my clanmates. Lionpaw is still an apprentice, and he has never seen battle before. He was deeply disturbed by what we found."

The Windclan tom looked down, too frightened to be embarrassed, but he seemed to relax beneath his deputy's protection. Leaftail scowled and was about to spit some retort, but Ravenwing motioned for her to let it go, and so the warrior instead spun around, stalking back into the camp.

As Leaftail left, Ravenwing faced Dancingshadow.

"If what you say is true, you may be here for a while. You and your apprentice are welcome to enter our camp while we wait, but I ask that you do not speak of what you saw to any of my warriors. I would like to avoid a panic. You saw how Thornfoot reacted just now. I would prefer to not have to deal with any more of that. If anyone asks, a suitable lie would be that you're here to discuss border rearrangements." The black she-cat offered, and Dancingshadow gave a curt dip of her head in response.

"That's a good idea. Thank you for your hospitality, Ravenwing." Dancingshadow meowed, and then to the apprentice beside her, "Make sure to be polite and mindful, Lionpaw. You are a guest, after all."

She nudged the apprentice up onto his paws and the two Windclan cats followed Ravenwing into Thunderclan's camp, where the clan, having been informed by Ashwind that there was nothing to fear, milled about to consider the Windclanners with both curiosity and mistrust.

Among them was Sagepaw, whose heart was pounding in his chest at what he had just heard. It didn't make sense what Windclan had said. How could Claystar, the greatest warrior the forest had ever known, fall at the jaws of rogues? The story didn't sound right, and his stomach wouldn't settle with the idea. Sagepw allowed Ravenwing's doubt to reassure him, and so he quickly pushed away the potential truth behind Dancingshadow's words in favor of testing the Windclanners for himself.

The tom watched cautiously as Dancingshadow and Lionpaw took up awkward residence beside Claystar's den. Although the black tom owed nothing to Windclan, he could not help but recognize the apprentice and notice his uneasy jittering. Sagepaw blamed it on all that medicine cat training. He knew just what the Windclan tom needed, and it would certainly make it easier to get answers out of him.

After helping Gorsefur return Tansyfoot to her nest, the dark-furred feline headed over to where the Windclanners were sitting. Dancingshadow was matching Thunderclan's stares cooly, but even Sagepaw picked up on a certain knowingness in that gaze. It was as if she was holding something back, like the Windclan deputy had just foreseen a great misfortune waiting to befall the pitiful Thunderclanners. Genuine fear swelled in Sagepaw's chest, but he pushed it down in order to accomplish what he'd come to do. Offering Lionpaw a smile as he approached, Sagepaw waved his tail disarmingly.

"It's Lionpaw, right? We met at the last Gathering, when Nightpaw introduced us." He waited for the Windclan tom to recall their encounter, and when the tabby's eyes lit up with recognition, Sagepaw went on. "You must be nervous being in another clan's camp, but if you want, I could grab you some herbs to make you feel a bit more comfortable."

"You're Sagepaw, right? I remember you." Lionpaw managed a small smile. "You're Thunderclan's medicine cat apprentice. I— well," he hesitated at the offer, glancing up at Dancingshadow, who had casually been listening in after noticing Sagepaw's approach. She gave a soft nod, and Lionpaw relaxed, looking back at Sagepaw. "Yes, something to calm my nerves would be nice. Thank you, Sagepaw."

Sagepaw bowed and motioned with his tail for Lionpaw to wait just a few minutes while he crossed the hollow and disappeared into the medicine cat's den. While sniffing around the half-sorted herbs, he let his mind run over all the possible alternatives for why Windclan was really there. Had they perhaps come to distract Thunderclan with the false report of Claystar's death and Jadewhisker's disappearance? Could it be that this was all just a ploy to reduce Thunderclan's numbers, so that the Windclanners hiding in the bushes could ambush the camp? But even to Sagepaw this seemed like a bit of a stretch. Thunderclan was neither on good nor bad terms with Windclan, and Heatherstar should know better than to try stealing territory that her warriors wouldn't be adept at hunting in.

The tom found what he was looking for and bent to pick up one of the desired white flowers. Jadewhisker had taught him that chamomile was excellent for relaxing a stressed or fearful cat. While the medicine cat likely would have scolded Sagepaw for using up precious herbs on someone outside their own clan, Jadewhisker was not here, and it was just one plant. Sagepaw doubted the medicine cat would notice. Besides, once the older tom returned, Sagepaw intended to do the questioning. Starting with where had those blood spots come from, and had Windclan really kept him prisoner?

As he exited the den with chamomile in tow, Sagepaw almost ran into the patrol of Hazefur and Sunpelt returning with several mice and a large crow. The latter was so big that Sunpelt had to hoist it up with his nose pointed to the sky to avoid tripping over it. The smell of fresh prey tempted the apprentice over the scent of the flower in his mouth, and he made a mental note to grab something to eat once he'd tended to Lionpaw. Would it be polite to offer the Windclanners some food as well? Sagepaw wasn't sure if the laws of hospitality extended that far, especially if Windclan had lied to them about Claystar and Jadewhisker's whereabouts. Still, he imagined the Windclan cats must be quite hungry after making the long trek from their camp all the way to Thunderclan's. It seemed cruel to make them linger on an empty stomach.

"Here you go!" Sagepaw fumbled over the herb between his jaws, setting the delicate flower at Lionpaw's feet. "It's just chamomile, so it should go down easily." He reassured the silver tabby.

"Um, do I eat it then?" Lionpaw queried, sniffing uncertainly at the herb.

Sagepaw did well to stifle a snort of amusement at the Windclan apprentice's ignorance. "Yes, and you'll feel better in no time." He watched as the silver tabby carefully picked up the flower and began chewing its aromatic petals between his teeth. When Lionpaw had finished swallowing, Sagepaw decided now was the time to gather information.

"You must feel lucky to be able to accompany Dancingshadow here. If you're coming to another clan's territory, it must be for something important, right? I can't imagine Claystar trusting any of our apprentices with a mission like that." His eyes were bright and innocent. There was only one thing Sagepaw knew better than herbs, and that was how to play dumb.

Lionpaw jumped a bit at the sudden question, twitching his ears and licking his maw nervously. "Y-yeah, well, I guess... Badgerpaw and I are the only apprentices right now, so Heatherstar probably wanted us to get as much experience as possible." He stuttered, speaking so quickly that Sagepaw could not help but feel a triumphant smirk tugging its way onto his face.

When Lionpaw started to think that the other did not quite believe him, he fumbled for further explanation. "Um, to see if we were ready to be made warriors, I think. Probably like an assessment, you know? Um, do they have assessments in Thunderclan? U-Usually they're just tests t-to see if an apprentice is ready to become a warrior yet, which is why uh, which is why I'm with my mentor, Dancingshadow, and why Badgerpaw was with Auburnfur."

Sagepaw's ears came to attention and he countered, "Auburnfur? You mentioned Badgerpaw earlier, too. If they came with you, where are they now?"

The jolt of horrified realization that shuddered through Lionpaw's spindly frame had Sagepaw going on high alert. Was this a trap after all? Had Badgerpaw lead Ravenwing's search patrol right into the bulk of Windclan's waiting forces while Dancingshadow and Lionpaw kept Thunderclan's attention diverted? As terrible a possibility as it was, Sagepaw still preferred it to the other, far darker one; that Claystar had perished and Jadewhisker had fled into the hills.

Sagepaw was about to leap to his paws to warn Ravenwing, when right on cue, the black she-cat's voice cut across the clearing.

"Ashwind! You've returned!" She called, rushing to meet the pale-furred warrior.

Ashwind was panting heavily, her blue eyes distraught and white ears folded. Every cat present stared at her, their pelts prickling as the she-cat's strong fear scent caught them by surprise.

"Ravenwing!" Ashwind hissed, nearly bumping into the deputy as she moved to speak into her ear.

"What is it? What did you find?" The black she-cat rushed, barely keeping her voice restrained.

Sagepaw was nearest to the pair, and he craned his head, struggling to overhear. He glanced at Lionpaw from the corner of his eye, but the apprentice was shaking even more violently than before, and he was looking up at Dancingshadow. Sagepaw tried to read the Windclan deputy's expression instead, and was shocked by the immense sadness that she exuded.

_I've never seen Ashwind like that... Starclan, please don't tell me this means-_ He didn't let himself finish that thought. Ashwind was suddenly rushing out of the camp just as quickly as she'd entered, and Ravenwing had unsteadily begun to climb to the highledge, where she faced the cats below with grim eyes and a heavy chest.

"May all cats young and old gather for a clan announcement! I have terrible, tragic news." Ravenwing began, and while her posture was authoritative and her eyes hard, her voice shook and Sagepaw felt her rising sorrow like a sinking stone in his stomach.

The members of Thunderclan looked up in confusion at their deputy; Mooncloud and her kits emerged along with Silverwing from the nursery, and the elders had dragged their tired, aging bodies forth from the shadows of their den.

"Earlier today, as you may have noticed, we received a visit from a Windclan patrol. We were informed by Dancingshadow and her warriors that they encountered a gruesome scene while patrolling their borders, and so I sent a patrol in return to confirm whether their report was true." The deputy paused, the weight of her words somehow remaining suspended in the warm Greenleaf air. "Ashwind has returned from that patrol with confirmation that our Windclan allies did, indeed, speak the truth."

Her eyes fell on each and every questioning face and weary frown. Ravenwing's heart was hammering in her chest, and already she could see Leaftail below, the she-cat's features twisting in horror and grief.

Ravenwing swallowed back the bile in her throat.

"Claystar's body was found by the river leading to the Moonpool. He was traveling with Jadewhisker to speak with our ancestors, when they must have been attacked. Our great and noble leader was, as most of you must did not know, on the last of his nine lives. Thornfoot, Berrythorn, and the rest of the Windclan patrol are returning with his body now. This is very sudden and shocking, just as much to me as it is to all of you. Please, let us grieve for and mourn his spirit before throwing ourselves into accusations and hostilities. We do not know who was responsible, but once Claystar's soul has been laid to rest, I promise that he will not go unavenged."

Whispers of shock were followed by yowls of grief and dismay. The caterwauling filled the clearing and echoed across the walls of the camp, drowning Sagepaw in cries for answers and the snarled names of suspects. He could hardly comprehend that Claystar, his father and the greatest leader Thunderclan had ever known (second only, perhaps, to the ancient Firestar himself), was already in Starclan. A million thoughts swarmed through his mind, but they all ended in the same question.

How? Why?

And what of Jadewhisker?


End file.
